{"id":44,"date":"2009-12-21T12:48:00","date_gmt":"2009-12-21T12:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2009\/12\/law-of-attraction-in-action-cleaning-out-old-stories.html"},"modified":"2009-12-21T12:48:00","modified_gmt":"2009-12-21T12:48:00","slug":"law-of-attraction-in-action-cleaning-out-old-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2009\/12\/law-of-attraction-in-action-cleaning-out-old-stories.html","title":{"rendered":"Law of Attraction in Action: Cleaning Out Old Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This is post 66 in my series on the Law of Attraction in Action. You CAN use your power to attract all that you need. I do it every day! Read the posts in this series<\/a> to see how.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that time again. The end of the year is getting closer. People are talking about beginning the New Year on a good note. That\u2019s always nice! But often it\u2019s just talk and you end another year wondering why it had the same things you didn\u2019t like the year before. You can\u2019t just wish things away! It would be nice if we could but life doesn\u2019t work that way. Nor does the Law of Attraction.<\/p>\n

If you want to enter 2010 on a more positive note, take action to send the Universe a message with your intentions by clearing out energy from the past<\/span>.<\/p>\n

When I was a DoorMat I lived a cluttered life. I\u2019d lament about never being happy and that life didn\u2019t go well for me. But, I did nothing to change it. There was never room for it all my STUFF. My closets had piles of it and my room was in disarray most of the time. People actually said they couldn\u2019t stand coming over because of it. While I laughed it off, I felt shame.<\/p>\n

Looking back I see that was motivated by 2 major factors\u2014lack of self-respect and fear. <\/span><\/p>\n

My living space reflected how I saw myself\u2014a mess, not worth putting time into; hopelessly unattractive; sad. That was my apartment and also who I thought I was, so I didn\u2019t respect myself or my right to live in a nice space. My messy, cluttered environment held old memories that reinforced where I was. Fear made me keep everything I ever owned. I was scared to let go of anything, lest I need it someday. Clothes, books and general stuff piled up. Reading You Can Heal Your Life<\/span><\/a> by Louise Hay opened my eyes.<\/p>\n

Cleaning is a great way to change your life!<\/span><\/p>\n

As my spiritual faith became stronger and my self-esteem grew, I returned to the one chapter in the book that I\u2019d ignored\u2014the one on the importance of getting rid of clutter. Last year I discussed this in my post on Making Room for Better Things<\/a>. After getting rid of half my stuff, my life opened up. Clearing things out tells the Universe you\u2019re making room for new things, be it possessions or opportunities. After learning this, I made it my tradition to begin cleaning my apartment in the beginning of December. It escalates as it gets closer to the 31st.<\/p>\n

Entering the New Year after clearing out as much as you can sets a tone for better things to come into your life.<\/span><\/p>\n

After my first cleaning, I thought I was done, but every year I find MANY things to toss. My post, Clean Your Way to an Abundant New Year<\/a>, gives specific tips for determining what to toss and other things that have worked for me. By the time New Year\u2019s eve arrives, my apartment and my life will be cleared. Each year I feel like I go through another layer of my past to move forward with more ease. In recent year\u2019s I became more aware of a greater significance of getting rid of stuff.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t just throw out or give away old possession. You also get rid of their stories\u2014old memories that hold past hurts and limitations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throwing out material possessions changes your energy for the better. It\u2019s not just about clutter. The significance is in the memories behind your stuff. All our possessions have a story\u2014where it came from, why you have it. Often it\u2019s simply you saw a shirt you liked needed a vase and and bought it. Or you know who a gift was from. Those are stories, however mundane. I get rid of a lot of things by asking myself why I have them. If there isn\u2019t a good answer\u2014buh-bye!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to clean out your inner self\u2014your soul and old baggage. Clearing out negative energy gives the Law of Attraction more to work with.<\/span><\/p>\n

I also have things I have no use for that bring back wonderful memories and make me smile to see them. That\u2019s good enough to keep! But things that conjure up not so happy memories should go. Over the years I\u2019ve tossed MANY photos of people I no longer like and gifts from them. Or of people who I haven\u2019t seen in ages or who have no meaning to me. I\u2019m also becoming more aware of the bad energy some possessions carry and how important it is to identify it to let it go. That affected me greatly as I cleaned this week.<\/p>\n

Sometimes we keep things with negative attached because they\u2019re nice or we just think we should keep them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hmmm\u2026 I have a pendant I got for my birthday from a guy I\u2019d been very close with, right before our relationship fell apart. I never wore it, not because of him but I have one I like better so I just left it in a drawer. Now I know it should go, and I\u2019m trying to figure out what to do with it. It\u2019s a good silver pendant but I don\u2019t know anyone who\u2019d want it. Maybe I\u2019ll put it on Ebay! My new awareness has pushed me to make a bigger decision and I\u2019m still trying to figure out what to do.<\/p>\n

As you let go of the past, your spirit will get lighter.<\/span> Mine is starting to float!<\/p>\n

Another revelation this weekend: Years ago I told my aunt I loved her little antique rocking chair. It has no arms but the carving in the wood is pretty. Not long after she wanted me to have it and arranged for someone to bring it to me. I loved it! That was during an unhappy time in my life. I had a roommate, whose friends I didn\u2019t like. One day they started tossing a football in our living room. I yelled they should stop as one ran across the room to catch it, and crashed into my chair.<\/p>\n

They knocked the back piece of wood off and completely broke the wicker seat. Of course they saw no need to pay to fix it. Since then, I\u2019ve kept a pillow on the seat and have the chair stuck in a corner. It doesn\u2019t look right there but I can\u2019t have anyone sit on it. I loved that chair so I kept it. But yesterday I asked myself why? Someone said it would cost a fortune to fix it. I have other memories from my aunt. The main memory as it is is attached to the inconsideration of the guys who broke it.<\/p>\n

Often we don\u2019t get rid of things because we don\u2019t know what to do with them. <\/span><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what to do with the chair. It\u2019s so cute, and an antique, and I hate to just throw it out. Yet it\u2019s broken! So I\u2019ve told the Universe that unless someone happens along to fix it by New Year\u2019s or take it, I\u2019ll throw it out on the 31st. If it were fixed, the memories would be good again. But looking at the damage stokes bad energy. This is a really big deal for me to give it away. I\u2019ve had it for a long time and always hoped to find a way to fix it. But it\u2019s time to let it go. While a piece of me is sad, a bigger piece feels empowered from this decision.<\/p>\n

Anyone in NY who wants the chair or who can help me fix it,
\nplease get in touch! ?<\/span><\/p>\n

Letting go of stuff also releases their stories. Whether the story is attached to someone in your past or fear of needing it someday and not having money to replace it or a souvenir or anything else, decide if this story is one you want to keep alive with the item. Often we don\u2019t think about why we have things and what they mean to us. Start thinking! As you close the book on old stories, you also get rid of old energy that might be subconsciously holding you back.<\/p>\n

Start now\u2014throw something out! <\/span>Or better yet, give it to someone who can use it. Then you get a double blessing\u2014helping someone and helping yourself have better energy to attract more positive stuff.<\/p>\n

See all the Law of Attraction in Action Series.<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and\/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

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This is post 66 in my series on the Law of Attraction in Action. You CAN use your power to attract all that you need. I do it every day! Read the posts in this series to see how. It\u2019s that time again. The end of the year is getting closer. 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